HB2235: Firearms; increases penalties for use, display, or discharge during commission of certain felonies.


HOUSE BILL NO. 2235
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the House Committee for Courts of Justice
on January 25, 2013)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Lingamfelter)
A BILL to amend and reenact § 18.2-53.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to use, display, or discharge of firearm in committing felony; penalty.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 18.2-53.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 18.2-53.1. Use, display, or discharge of firearm in committing felony.

It shall be is unlawful for any person to use or attempt to use any pistol, shotgun, rifle, or other firearm or display such weapon in a threatening manner while committing or attempting to commit murder, rape, forcible sodomy, inanimate or animate object sexual penetration as defined in § 18.2-67.2, robbery, carjacking, burglary, malicious wounding as defined in § 18.2-51, malicious bodily injury to a law-enforcement officer as defined in § 18.2-51.1, aggravated malicious wounding as defined in § 18.2-51.2, malicious wounding by mob as defined in § 18.2-41, or abduction. Violation of this section shall constitute constitutes a separate and distinct felony and any person found guilty thereof shall be sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of three four years for a first conviction, and to a mandatory minimum term of five six years for a second or subsequent conviction under the provisions of this section. Such punishment shall be separate and apart from, and shall be made to run consecutively with, any punishment received for the commission of the primary felony.

2.  That the provisions of this act may result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment or commitment. Pursuant to § 30-19.1:4, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation is $1,375,113 for periods of imprisonment in state adult correctional facilities and cannot be determined for periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.

HOUSE BILL NO. 2235

Offered January 13, 2013
A BILL to amend and reenact 18.2-53.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to use, display, or discharge of firearm in committing felony; penalty.
Patron-- Lingamfelter

Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That 18.2-53.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

18.2-53.1. Use, display, or discharge of firearm in committing felony.

A. It shall be is unlawful for any person to use or attempt to use any pistol, shotgun, rifle, or other firearm or display such weapon in a threatening manner while committing or attempting to commit murder, rape, forcible sodomy, inanimate or animate object sexual penetration as defined in 18.2-67.2, robbery, carjacking, burglary, malicious wounding as defined in 18.2-51, malicious bodily injury to a law-enforcement officer as defined in 18.2-51.1, aggravated malicious wounding as defined in 18.2-51.2, malicious wounding by mob as defined in 18.2-41, or abduction. Violation of this section shall constitute constitutes a separate and distinct felony and any person found guilty thereof shall be sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of three five years for a first conviction, and to a mandatory minimum term of five eight years for a second or subsequent conviction under the provisions of this section. Such punishment shall be separate and apart from, and shall be made to run consecutively with, any punishment received for the commission of the primary felony.

B. Any person who violates subsection A and who discharges a pistol, shotgun, rifle, or other firearm during the commission of the offense shall be sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of three years. Such punishment shall be made to run consecutively with any punishment received for the commission of a violation of subsection A.

2.  That the provisions of this act may result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment or commitment. Pursuant to  30-19.1:4, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation is $4,523,081 for periods of imprisonment in state adult correctional facilities and is $0 for periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.